Rookie Tyler Seguinwas among the topics discussed in Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli‘s conference call with the media on Monday. Seguin played in 73 games as a rookie, totaling 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points. He was a healthy scratch eight times, but Chiarelli noted that having him spend the year back in Plymouth (OHL) would not have helped anyone.

“I’m relatively satisfied with the development,” Chiarelli said. “You have to put it in the context of his age and put it in the context of he’s an individual who I think has seen that he has to grow in certain areas on and off the ice. He’s a real good kid.”

Daniel Paille‘s four goals over his last games has made it safe to assume Seguin will be a healthy scratch when the playoffs begin Thursday, but Chiarelli didn’t rule out the idea of the 19-year-old finding his way into the lineup before all is said and done.

“My guess is that he won’t start in the lineup for the playoffs. I hope that he finds his way into it. The play is going to ramp up in the playoffs,” Chiarelli said. “Had he gone back to juniors, the areas where he had to get better would have been left dormant and so he had to play this year and face those areas head on. A terrifically talented kid with speed, he has to learn to make these plays that he can do and we’ve seen these plays all the time. So I’m relatively satisfied. Tyler is a good kid and he’s going to get better.”

Chiarelli admitting that Seguin is unlikely to be in the lineup Thursday shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as the combination of Paille’s impressive play to close out the season and Seguin’s inconsistencies made things pretty predictable.

Though Seguin did get to play in 73 games, his leash was clearly shorter than it would have been had he played for a non-playoff team. As a result, the combination of his raw talents, struggles with physical play and limited ice time left him 22nd in scoring amongst rookies this season.

The more interesting point is Chiarelli pointing out that sending Seguin back to juniors would not have benefitted the youngster. It makes sense, as Seguin’s dominant play for Plymouth in his draft year (48+58=106), suggests that he probably wouldn’t have taken it upon himself to become a more physical player, as he could get results without it.

Just how Seguin could end up finding his way into the lineup remains to be seen. At face value, it seems it would take an injury to a forward or detrimental play from Paille.